November 13, 2010

Many Indiana disabled veterans talk to Indianapolis Social Security Disability Attorney Scott Lewis about receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits when they are receiving disability compensation from the Veterans Administration (VA). At the present, there are many Indiana disabled veterans coming home from active duty with various disabling conditions; one prominent condition is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). There are several factors to take into consideration when talking about these two very separate programs. 1. If I qualify for Veterans benefits, do I automatically qualify for Social Security benefits? No. These are two different government programs. An Indiana Social Security disability claimant with a VA rating of 70 percent or more may have a better chance that the Social Security Administration (SSA) will take into consideration the Veterans Administration has found you disabled at such a high rating, but there is no guarantee. 2. Does the Social Security Administration (SSA) work on percentages like the Veterans Administration? No, with the Social Security Administration it is all or nothing. They either find you 100% disabled or they don’t. 3. When should I apply? As soon as you are unable to perform substantial gainful activity (SGA). If you are unable to work because of your disabling condition, you should apply for Indiana Social Security disability benefits immediately. One of the problems Indianapolis Social Security disability lawyer Scott Lewis runs into is that his disabled veteran clients wait too long to apply. Many Indiana veterans leave active duty in a disabled condition and start receiving VA compensation not knowing they are eligible for Indiana Social Security disability benefits. The problem here is that the clock starts ticking and these Indiana veterans don’t know they have a limited time to prove they are disabled before their date last … Continued